"It was insane! How can they shoot a jump like that?" Exclaimed Hanna, limping to Matt's Black car. Being stuffed inside the theatre for so long had made her legs jelly. She didn't know the car model even though Matt at least mentioned it twice a week. It is a big Fancy name.

"Must be computerized, babe." He said laughing.

"Yeah, but the acting was amazing and he was so hot!" She remembered the scene where he tossed his shirt in the gym scene. Her favourite part. She could bet all the girls in the cinema were drooling over him, she heard Matt give an uncomfortable noise.

"If you are forgetting. You have a boyfriend. And very Handsome at that too." His voice crisp. Laced with clear annoyance.

"Someone is Jealous, huh? Just because you are my boyfriend doesn't mean I can't appreciate another hot male species. " She spoke amused now as she climbed into the car and buckled her seatbelt. "What was his name again? I could not see the lower part of the screen where credit rolled on, because of that 6-foot old lady."

"He is a new one. His name is Kyle Jorden." Kyle. His name is Kyle. Could it be? No, No- what would a newbie film star be the-

Stop overthinking Hanna! You are with Matt. Enjoy. Do not think of these names.

"Let's go to the club down the street," Matt said, reversing the car from the parking lot, his head craned back.

"I promised Lysa-"

"Oh come on, you know the name tattoed on my right thumb is yours, right?" He exclaimed, turning towards the main road. All the shops were dazzlingly lit with varied colours blurred past them.

"We don't know yet."

"Yes we do", He said, "The first syllable is 'Ha' and the next is 'n', obviously it is your name."

"We have talked about this, I will only tell her after we have fully decrypted the name."

"Fine," He complained, his mouth turned into a frown when he suddenly brightened, "Let's go to the new bowling alley, then."

"Matt! No-"

"What!" His eyes wide, he threw up his hand, "Our movie got over early, we could still make you reach on time."

"MATT!" Hanna shouted, her voice not even drawing out in the sea of horns, "The STEERING!!"

"Calm down. It's all under controlled, " He already had grasped the steering, "It is a quarter past eight, what time do we have to reach?"

"Nine." she begrudgingly said.

"Bowling alley is just five minutes away, we will reach your house on time. What do you say?"

She contemplated, it was indeed tempting. She loved bowling, and it has been well overdue since she had last gone.

"Alright." His lips stretched, eyes gleaming with something unknown, "But I must reach home by nine."

"Aye Aye, m'lady." He put his hand near his head in a mock salute, changed the gears and speed down the road.

She was telling him about how she could longer fit in her red dress when they reached the bowling alley. It was a big building. A really big for a bowling alley, when she asked about it- he replied that it has a swimming pool, billiards, and many other sports

"They even have horse riding open during the weekends," he explained as they moved towards and he pressed 'two' in the elevator.

"Oh that is amazing," she liked horse racing. Though she has never been on a horse ride. Maybe one day she should come here. She followed behind him as he swiftly moved out of the elevator and took a couple of turns.

Or maybe she could persuade Lysa to bring Zoya, Lysa's younger sister here. She remembered how Zoya did that horse merry-go-round over five times in the annual fair.

She didn't notice that Matt was no longer ahead of her, and in the very sight, she could see an abandoned hall. Maybe a gym hall from all the broken equipment strewn across the floor.

"I think we are on the wrong floor," she said turning around, She didn't know Matt was exactly behind her, her breath caught at the sudden closeness but she continued, "Doesn't look like it is being used- "

"I am sorry," Guilt floating in his voice.

"Hey, you don't have to be-" she said when suddenly a slight glint of metal coming from sideways was thrust towards her before she could do anything a sharp pain throbbed from her lower abdomen as it went into her.

Everything became a smear of dark colours as she crumpled to the floor, her eyes wide. Maybe in shock, maybe in pain, Matt didn't know. All he could do was turn away from his beloved, his real love after he had plunged the knife silently inside her. He hated himself for doing that to her, but it had to be. If it was not now, everything would be over. He had no choice. He knew she will get killed by someone, later on. It was the tragedy of this world. It was better if he did that to her than some random dude. He gave her a quick death, to make her suffer less. But now he could not watch her eyes which were usually filled with cheerfulness, eagerness, and curiousness would now be empty of life. They would be Lifeless, just like her.

She could not comprehend what was happening. Everything felt weird. It felt like she was dying, how can this feeling be true? Why in the world's every pizza shop does she felt herself perishing? Every breadth was difficult to take. It ached. It ached everywhere. Matt had already turned away, his back hunched as if he was carrying an invisible weight but why did he do it? To her, even? She trusted him.

If this was her last moment, she could not- would not dwell over him. Him, who betrayed her. Or the aftermath. She titled her head back, resting it on the dusty floor, with an effort that normally made her lift dozens of shopping bags. Slowly, very slowly she shut her eyes.

She felt wetness behind her eyes, as breathing became almost impossible. The tears held back by her closed eyes were trapped. They were tears of betrayal, of the hopefully happy life she had lived, of never competing with Lysa again, of never having to meet with Lysa, of regret, and many more. They were all zooming inside of her.

At last, a single tear escaped before she took a big puff of air, possibly her last one. She felt the tear gliding down her cheek. She knew the tear that has escaped was not of all those things-

This tear was of 'if things were different', a hope that still prevails in the corner of her heart.

-------------------

It was the first time for me to perish my character. I love Hanna but life is just unfair.

So what do you think? Liked Matt, or resent him?

Lysa was amazing, wasn't she?

Thank you so much for reading it. I hope you all enjoyed it 🖤